Fur relevant? Cat hairballs relevant? Relevant that cats lick themselves? that they scratch? that they dislike water? Does something happen during winter that is unrelated to the weather? (eg some old relative always popping along) Or is it to do with the cold? the snow? that lakes and ponds etc are frozen over? Hmm how else does one get fat besides eating more or cutting down on exercise?? Does she get pregnant every winter?

Fur relevant? no Cat hairballs relevant? no Relevant that cats lick themselves? no that they scratch? no that they dislike water? noDoes something happen during winter that is unrelated to the weather? no (eg some old relative always popping along) no Or is it to do with the cold? indirectly, yes the snow? no that lakes and ponds etc are frozen over? noHmm how else does one get fat besides eating more or cutting down on exercise?? that is for me to know and for you to find outDoes she get pregnant every winter? good thought, but no: she's been sterilised

This can only happen to cats? What about big cats like tigers, cheetahs, leopards etc? If she had been a stray cat, would she still get fat during winter? Because of the cold, does a human do something? does an animal do something? or does something naturally occur? Anything about her particular household relevant?

This can only happen to cats? not sure, to be honest: probably not What about big cats like tigers, cheetahs, leopards etc? no idea, sorryIf she had been a stray cat, would she still get fat during winter? yes, perhaps Because of the cold, does a human do something? no does an animal do something? yes or does something naturally occur? yes Anything about her particular household relevant? yes

Does she stay indoors a lot in the winter? Does she catch less mice in winter and therefore she doesn't have worms? Is there another pet in the household? Is there something relevant about the owner that we have to find out?

Does she stay indoors a lot in the winter? possibly but irrelDoes she catch less mice in winter and therefore she doesn't have worms? N/A: she has been wormedIs there another pet in the household? no Is there something relevant about the owner that we have to find out? no: she is my parents' cat, actually, but that's not really important

Any other animal involved besides her? The animal that does something--does this refer to her or to some other animal? A stray one? A pet of someone else? the neighbour? If you told us the reason, would we be surprised? Would you say it's a news-worthy event? (Meet Gladys, the amazing expanding cat!) Does she have a particular habit? Anything about the structure of the house we need to know?

Is the other animal a cat, too? Male? Female? Adult? Is the house an apartment? Detached? Semi? Terrace? How many storeys does it have--1? 2? 3? 4? 5? more? Staircases relevant? Is this habit of hers something cats often do? Any of the toys she plays with relevant? Does she catch mice? Run up and down the stairs? Does she hide in the heating unit, which is switched on during winter, and so she expands?

Is the other animal a cat, too? no Male? Female? Adult? could be all or any of these

Is the house an apartment? no Detached? this one Semi? no Terrace? no How many storeys does it have--1? 2? 3? 4? 5? more? 2 but irrel Staircases relevant? noIs this habit of hers something cats often do? some cats do, yes: it's a natural thing for cats to do Any of the toys she plays with relevant? no Does she catch mice? yes but irrel Run up and down the stairs? irrel Does she hide in the heating unit, which is switched on during winter, and so she expands? Heheh! No

Does she do it on the garden? In the house? In a particular room in the house? Or does she do this all over the place? The other animal--dog? bird? rabbit? hamster? turtle? Is it her friend? Does it chase her? Does she chase it? Does this animal also gain weight during the winter months? Does it lose weight?

Does she do it in the garden? this one In the house? no In a particular room in the house? no Or does she do this all over the place? mainly outside the houseThe other animal--dog? bird? rabbit? hamster? turtle? none of these Is it her friend? no Does it chase her? no Does she chase it? yes: a teeny FA throughout, by the way Does this animal also gain weight during the winter months? no Does it lose weight? no

Does she chase more than one animal? yes Insects? Flying animals? no to theseDoes she get fat because the animal she usually chases is not there in the winter? yes, but it's not the lack of exercise that makes her fatter

The animals she chases: smaller than insects? no smaller than mice? perhaps mouse-sized smaller than rats? yes smaller than squirrels? yes smaller than rabbits? yes Are they mammals? birds? reptiles? this one amphibians? fish? spiders?

Does she eat the animals she chases? Is this relevant? yes and yesIs the cause for her getting fat to be found in her diet? yes Does she occasionally eat plants in the summer? irrel

Did the lack of lizards make her constipated, or unable to digest her food well, or slow down her metabolism somehow... making her bloated and therefore fatter? very much in the right forest but not quite

Cause her diarrhea or undernourish her, so during the winter when the lizards weren't around she plumped back up? YES

Or did the lizards cause some kind of illness or infection in the cat--like a parasite or mild poison that affected the cats weight when she ate them? YES! Well played.

*****SPOILER*****

My parents' cat Gladys lives in their old stone farmhouse in the southwest of France, where she likes to hunt the lizards that bask on the walls in the summer sunshine. They were puzzled and concerned as to why she was so sleek and svelte in the summer, and quite the roly-poly in the winter.

Apparently, some species of lizards secrete a very mild toxin that causes cats to lose weight, but without really harming them. Because they are cold-blooded, the lizards hibernate from October to March in the crevices of the house walls where she can't reach them. During autumn and winter, the effect gradually wears off, and Gladys piles on the pounds. (I couldn't resist the pun in the title.)

Well played everyone.

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